


Tradition

by BarPurple



Series: Fandomas 2018 [7]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 19:58:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16939713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Thanks to Belle and Emma Gold and Neal are reunited for Christmas. After all these years Neal is surprised to see that his Pops has kept up a family tradition.





	Tradition

Gold had been jumpy all morning. He’d had to change his shirt because his restless twitching had caused him to slop his morning tea all over himself.

Belle had tried to soothe him, but nothing she did stopped him from glancing out of the window every time a car rolled by. He was so nervous. Belle had covertly sent a text message to double check that their visitors hadn’t changed their minds. The response had reassured her that today wasn’t going to be the disaster that Gold expected it to be.

Finally, at ten to ten the doorbell rang.

Gold jumped out of his skin, and almost tripped over his cane as he rushed towards the front door. Belle squeezed his arm as he took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Merry Christmas Pops.”

“M..merry Christmas Neal.”

Belle and Emma stood back as father and son exchange and awkward hug. This reunion had been a long time coming, but the healing of the years of anger and distance wasn’t going to happen all at once.

“Come in, please.”

Neal ushered Emma across the porch. Gold greeted her warmly, but his eyes kept darting towards Neal as if he was scared that he’d vanish. Emma didn’t take any offence. She moved forward to hug Belle who whispered; “Thank you for getting him here.”

Sounding very cheerful Gold said; “Let’s go into the kitchen and get everyone a drink.”

Belle led the way with Gold and Emma not far behind her. Gold turned around when he realised that Neal hadn’t moved from by the front door.

“Neal?”

He was looking up in wonder at the slightly battered Advent Crown hanging from the ceiling in the hallway.

“You’ve still got that?”

Gold smiled; “Of course I have, we made it together. I still light the candles of an evening.”

For the first time since he’d arrived Neal smiled at his Pops and pointed out the decoration to Emma.

“We made that when I was about seven, I think. There was glue everywhere and oh the glitter, you remember Pops?”

“We looked like we’d been frosted. It still sheds like crazy if anyone taps it to ring the bells.”

Neal laughed; “I used to lean over the banister to give it a hit. Could never work out how Pops knew it was me who’d done it.”

“You were caught glitter handed.”

Laughing and reminiscing the Gold and Neal made their way into the kitchen.

Belle and Emma shared a high-five before following them. This family Christmas was going to be just fine, and hopefully the first of many to come.


End file.
